“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22:1-5).
Introduction
The Scriptures mention the Tree of Life ten times. Three times in Genesis where it is lost because of man’s sin; three times in Revelation where it is restored to its prominent place in Paradise; and four times in Proverbs where it depicts the lifestyle of those who follow God.
Paradise Lost
“And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9).
It was from the ‘testing tree’ the Lord commanded Adam not to eat, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). It was at the ‘testing tree’ man listen to Satan and brought sin into the world, “Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? … Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;” (Genesis 3:1, 17) … “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” Romans 5:12). As a result of this man was separated from fellowship with God, “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2).
If God had not immediately intervened, man would have lived in eternal separation from God, that is, no means of repentance could have restored him to fellowship with God. Life would be a living Hell on earth. “And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life” (Genesis 3:22-24).
Paradise Restored
The Lord Jesus Christ came into this world to restore mankind to fellowship with God, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10) … “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). Through Him alone we have the right to everlasting life if sin is dealt with in our lives, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7). Those who accept Him as Saviour will one day eat of that tree which Adam was banished from, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12) … “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:1-2) … “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city” (Revelation 22:14).
Paradise in between
While we wait for the day when we will enter the Heavenly City and be allowed to eat from the Tree of Life, we can enjoy the “foretaste of glory divine” here on earth. The fruit of the Tree of Life is in part already evident in the life of those who walk in faith, holiness and obedience. The book of Proverbs makes mention of this fruit.
Godly wisdom “is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her” (Proverbs 3:18). The fruit of heavenly happiness can only be enjoyed by those who love the Lord, “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding” (Proverbs 3:13).
Those who live righteously have evidence of the Tree of Life in them, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30).
The saved have a hope that will be fulfilled, “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life” (Proverbs 13:12), and our greatest and best hope is that “blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
Those who manifest something of the Tree of Life in their daily lives will speak the words of life to everyone around them. “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit” (Proverbs 15:4) … “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?” (2 Corinthians 2:15-16).
Conclusion
The Paradise that was lost will one day be restored to man, but while we wait we can experience something of what it will be like today. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Psalm 1:1-3).
Living Word Bible Church 